First Shift.

We survived our first shift.  We are enjoying it so much.  It has been hard, challenging, rewarding, funny, and scary all at once.  I guess raising kids usually is.  I had one night this week where I thought I was going to be completely overwhelmed but God put a person in my path to encourage me and then I also calmly heard His voice tell me to chill out.  I am 24 and at the time I was raising 3 children.  I have went from 0 to 3 in a matter of minutes.  I am not going to know it all.  I am going to mess up.  If raising kids were easy it would not be nearly as rewarding.  I do see different lessons in my life lining up for my current occupation.  It is so crazy to see why something happened years ago finally make sense now.  God is good like that.  

I am asking for you to pray for us to find peace in finding a church.  We kind of have to pick between 2.  I like one and Dustin likes the other.  They each have pros and cons.  Ultimately, we are still brokenhearted about leaving Danville.  Pray that our hearts be open to another choice.  I know God wants to use a new church to help us grow and learn, it is just hard being away from people who are always your biggest supporters.  This is all part of God's plan to move us from our comfort zone and I want to fully embrace it.

We are getting 4 more kids this week.  1 is temporary, but we will be raising a total of 6 kids for approximately 2 months.  Oh my.  0 to 6 in 2 weeks!  When they called to tell us, Dustin looked at me and said, "Welcome to the big leagues."  We both just laughed.  God's crazy sense of humor.  It is exciting to get to do this though.  

I also need to take a minute to thank some people who lead us to this spot in our lives.  I haven't given the people that God used to get us here enough credit and I feel bad for it.  It goes without saying that our families and friends are at the top of this list.  This list is more direct to the exact 'raising kids for a living' thing.  First of all Amy Garnett.  Thank you for opening my eyes and heart to the beauty of two little brown girls.  Yuri and Gigi showed me that I could love someone else's kids, that were not blood related, with all I have.  They show me everyday that God's family plan does not always mean the get pregnant, have a baby, raise baby route.  It could mean God sees fit to let you raise babies that are not "biologically' yours but are fully yours in the heart.  Where it really matters.  You also taught me  to love them for the time I have them.  I use this every day now.  To Joe David Bailey.  First of all you sat us with Dane and Dana last Thanksgiving.  Who knew that one time conversation would lead to this work.  Also, thank you for being such an encouragement when we decided to do this.  You are one of the few who said "this is perfect for you."  That means SO much.  To Dana.  One conversation at Thanksgiving.  Led to a Facebook message months later that "I think you and your husband should pray about being house parents here."  Thank you for allowing God to use you.  Also thank you for your new friendship in this crazy world I just entered that not many other people understand.  I know I will rely on you a lot in the coming months and I am so thankful that you have been so welcoming.  These are the 3 people that it has been on my heart to especially thank.  I am sure more will come up lately but for now...I will hold on the list.